Method, apparatus and computer program product for providing a media content selection mechanism

Abstract

A method for providing a media content selection mechanism may include providing for display of a selectable object that is representative of a corresponding physical object associated with media content. The selectable object may be arranged in the display based at least in part on a physical location of the physical object represented by the selectable object. The method may further include determining whether the selectable object correlates to a digital content item and enabling the provision of information corresponding to the digital content item in response to selection of the selectable object.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing for display of a selectable object that is representative of a corresponding physical object associated with media content, the selectable object being arranged in the display based at least in part on a physical location of the physical object represented by the selectable object;   determining whether the selectable object correlates to a digital content item; and   enabling the provision of information corresponding to the digital content item in response to selection of the selectable object.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the selectable object correlates to the digital content item comprises determining whether the selectable object correlates to the digital content item stored in a location accessible to a device providing for the display. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the selectable object correlates to the digital content item comprises analyzing an image of a portion of a physical storage apparatus including a physical object; generating the selectable object based on the physical object; identifying features associated with the physical object; and determining whether the features identified correlate with any of a plurality of digital content items. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling the provision of information comprises rendering the digital content item if the selectable object correlates to the digital content item stored in the location accessible to the device. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling the provision of information comprises providing indicia on the selectable object in which the indicia is indicative of a classification of the digital content item. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling the provision of information comprises providing a user with information relating to enabling downloading of the digital content item if the selectable object does not correlate to a digital content item that is currently accessible to the device. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enabling the provision of information comprises providing a user with options with respect to viewing different portions of a virtual media rack in which the selectable object is disposed on the display. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein enabling the provision of information comprises enabling the user to zoom in with respect to a portion of the virtual media rack by making a selection with respect to a portion of the display. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising constructing a virtual media rack corresponding to a physical storage apparatus in which the virtual media rack is configured based on attributes of the physical storage apparatus. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the selectable object is one of a collection of selectable objects, each of the selectable objects associated with each respective one of a plurality of physical objects stored in the physical storage apparatus, and wherein constructing the virtual media rack comprises displaying each of the selectable objects relative to each other in the virtual media rack based at least in part on the respective locations of the corresponding physical objects in the physical storage apparatus. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein constructing the virtual media rack comprises receiving an image of the physical storage apparatus and optically analyzing the image to determine configuration dimensions of the virtual media rack. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus comprising a processor configured to:
 provide for display of a selectable object that is representative of a corresponding physical object associated with media content, the selectable object being arranged in the display based at least in part on a physical location of the physical object represented by the selectable object;   determine whether the selectable object correlates to a digital content item; and   enable the provision of information corresponding to the digital content item in response to selection of the selectable object.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the selectable object correlates to the digital content item by determining whether the selectable object correlates to the digital content item stored in a location accessible to a device providing for the display. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the selectable object correlates to the digital content item by analyzing an image of a portion of a physical storage apparatus including a physical object; generating the selectable object based on the physical object; identifying features associated with the physical object; and determining whether the features identified correlate with any of a plurality of digital content items. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to enable the provision of information by rendering the digital content item if the selectable object correlates to the digital content item stored in the location accessible to the device. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to enable the provision of information by providing indicia on the selectable object in which the indicia is indicative of a classification of the digital content item. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to enable the provision of information by providing a user with information relating to enabling downloading of the digital content item if the selectable object does not correlate to a digital content item that is currently accessible to the device. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured to enable the provision of information by providing a user with options with respect to viewing different portions of a virtual media rack in which the selectable object is disposed on the display. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is configured to enable the provision of information by enabling the user to zoom in with respect to a portion of the virtual media rack by making a selection with respect to a portion of the display. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to construct a virtual media rack corresponding to a physical storage apparatus in which the virtual media rack is configured based on attributes of the physical storage apparatus. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the selectable object is one of a collection of selectable objects, each of the selectable objects associated with each respective one of a plurality of physical objects stored in the physical storage apparatus, and wherein the processor is configured to construct the virtual media rack by displaying each of the selectable objects relative to each other in the virtual media rack based at least in part on the respective locations of the corresponding physical objects in the physical storage apparatus. 
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the processor is configured to construct the virtual media rack by receiving an image of the physical storage apparatus and optically analyzing the image to determine configuration dimensions of the virtual media rack. 
   
   
       23 . A computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising:
 first program code instructions for providing for display of a selectable object that is representative of a corresponding physical object associated with media content, the selectable object being arranged in the display based at least in part on a physical location of the physical object represented by the selectable object;   second program code instructions for determining whether the selectable object correlates to a digital content item; and   third program code instructions for enabling the provision of information corresponding to the digital content item in response to selection of the selectable object.   
   
   
       24 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the second program code instructions include instructions for determining whether the selectable object correlates to the digital content item stored in a location accessible to a device providing for the display. 
   
   
       25 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the second program code instructions include instructions for analyzing an image of a portion of a physical storage apparatus including a physical object; generating the selectable object based on the physical object; identifying features associated with the physical object; and determining whether the features identified correlate with any of a plurality of digital content items. 
   
   
       26 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the third program code instructions include instructions for rendering the digital content item if the selectable object correlates to the digital content item stored in the location accessible to the device. 
   
   
       27 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the third program code instructions include instructions for providing indicia on the selectable object in which the indicia is indicative of a classification of the digital content item. 
   
   
       28 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the third program code instructions include instructions for providing a user with information relating to enabling downloading of the digital content item if the selectable object does not correlate to a digital content item that is currently accessible to the device. 
   
   
       29 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the third program code instructions include instructions for providing a user with options with respect to viewing different portions of a virtual media rack in which the selectable object is disposed on the display. 
   
   
       30 . The computer program product of  claim 29 , wherein the third program code instructions include instructions for enabling the user to zoom in with respect to a portion of the virtual media rack by making a selection with respect to a portion of the display. 
   
   
       31 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , further comprising fourth program code instructions for constructing a virtual media rack corresponding to a physical storage apparatus in which the virtual media rack is configured based on attributes of the physical storage apparatus. 
   
   
       32 . The computer program product of  claim 31 , wherein the selectable object is one of a collection of selectable objects, each of the selectable objects associated with each respective one of a plurality of physical objects stored in the physical storage apparatus, and wherein the fourth program code instructions include instructions for displaying each of the selectable objects relative to each other in the virtual media rack based at least in part on the respective locations of the corresponding physical objects in the physical storage apparatus. 
   
   
       33 . The computer program product of  claim 31 , wherein the fourth program code instructions include instructions for receiving an image of the physical storage apparatus and optically analyzing the image to determine configuration dimensions of the virtual media rack. 
   
   
       34 . An apparatus comprising a user interface element configured to:
 display a selectable object that is representative of a corresponding physical object associated with media content, the selectable object being arranged in the display based at least in part on a physical location of the physical object represented by the selectable object;   receive an indication of a selection of the selectable object; and   provide information corresponding to the digital content item in response to the selection of the selectable object.